PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Officials in Pinellas Park are hosting a groundbreaking for a new public safety complex next week.  

The project has been years in the making.

The complex will be a new home for the city's police department, and there will be a new fire station as well.

What You Need To Know

  • The complex will be a new home for the city's police department, and there will be a new fire station as well

  • Groundbreaking is set for next week

  • The location is next to the current Pinellas Park police station

Pinellas Park Fire Chief Brett Schlatterer said this new complex is exactly what his firefighters need. Meeting at one of their stations that was built in 1978, he said it will be a major upgrade.

"These are bedrooms," he said. "They're shared by three people, one on each shift. In the new station, there obviously (will) be doorways and they'll all be private."

Firefighters aren't the only ones looking forward to the complex.

Lt. John Shea said from a multi-purpose training room to being able to withstand major hurricanes, the police department can't wait for it to be finished.

"The city's growing which requires the law enforcement community to grow," he said. "As we grow, we're running out of space and we need to really prepare that for the future."

The groundbreaking will be on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

The location is next to the current police station.

The new complex is planned to be two buildings — one for the fire department and the other for the police. They'll be connected by a walkway.